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Barnett 2nd, Underwood 3rd in WLRC
Day 18 – WLRC Day 3
Featured Team Members
Matthew Ensor
Matthew started shooting in 1992 at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford. This will be his 15th overseas tour, sixth World Championships and sixth shooting trip to South Africa, having previously visited with GB (2008, 2017, 2023), England (2009) and first with the GB U25s in 2000.
While Matthew has enjoyed a smattering of individual shooting successes, including winning the 2009 Scottish Sword and three consecutive top 10 finishes in the UK Grand Aggregate, he feels most at home wind coaching in team matches. Matthew particularly enjoys the intensity the World Championships and the fickle winds found on the General De Wet ranges in Bloemfontein. He is very much looking forward to combining the two for the first time.
When not on the range, Matthew works in Higher Education and lives in Chelmsford.
Jon Kent
Jon started his shooting career at Epsom College in 1999, qualifying for the final of the H.M. Queen’s Prize during his second Imperial Meeting the following year. Individual highlights include winning the 2022 Palma and Stickledown Aggregates at Bisley.
Jon’s previous overseas tours include Australia and Canada with the Great Britain U25s and the 2011 GB team to Canada and 2023 GB team to South Africa. He has been a member of the winning teams in both the Under 21 and Under 25 World Championships matches, in 2003 and 2007 respectively. This will be Jon’s third shooting tour to South Africa and he is thrilled to be returning to Bloemfontein again to represent GB on his first Palma tour.
When not shooting Jon can be found running his company, intheOffice. In his spare time he loves travelling with his wife and cycling.
Under 25s
Christina Cuming
Christina started shooting at Bradfield College aged 14 and quickly fell in love with the sport. Her first tour was with the UK Cadet Rifle Team to Jersey in 2018 followed by Canada with the Athelings and then Scotland with the GB U19s. Christina shoots for Yorkshire, and earned her England caps in the 2021 and 2022 National matches. She was honoured to be selected for her first GB tour in 2023 to Canada, shooting in the Canada and Commonwealth matches.
Christina recently graduated with a Psychology degree from Durham University, where she was also Captain of the University Rifle Club. This year, she is taking a year out to shoot, work a ski season in France as a cook, climb to Everest Base Camp and travel around South-East Asia. Once she returns to reality, she is hoping to move to London and find a job in the City.
Under 21s
Hayden Thomson
Hayden first began shooting in 2017 at Dollar Academy under the watchful eye of Craig Stewart and was appointed Captain in his final year. He is currently a member of the Exeter University Rifle Club and is in his second year of studying International Relations with the intention of going to Sandhurst after graduating and embarking on a career in the Army.
Having toured to Jersey and Guernsey, with the Athelings and GB U19 teams respectively, he is looking forward to touring further afield with the opportunities for varying shooting conditions and cultures that are to be experienced. A true Scot, he shot for Scotland in this year’s National Match, and West of Scotland in the Inter Counties and is pleased to be representing those north of the border. Following the tour, he hopes to continue shooting for Exeter University and help continue the team’s recent successes.
Veterans
Charles Brooks
Charles has been a regular overseas tourer, starting 50 years ago with the Athelings team to Canada (with Veterans teammate, Webbie), followed by seven official GB overseas tours.
Charles is well connected with overseas shooters at Bisley having been Secretary and Captain of the British Commonwealth Rifle Club and is now its President. This will be Charles’ second tour to South Africa after he led the GB Veterans Goodwill team to Bloemfontein last year.
Charles is married to Penny with two grown up children and one grandchild with another on the way, all of whom have had to suffer his life at Bisley! Since retiring as a partner of his law firm three years ago, Charles is now a (very) part-time consultant to the firm and keeps himself busy with a City of London Livery Company and with non-exec board roles with two long-standing charity clients.
Chris Weeden
SM
Chris’s principal club has been NLRC for the past 34 years, where he is now President. He shoots for and captains the county of Kent and has represented England in the National Match, and GB in the Kolapore and Australia matches. Chris has toured with GB to Canada, (including as Captain in 2017), West Indies and Zimbabwe & South Africa. This will be his first GB Veterans World Championships.
At Bisley, he has five Grand Aggregate crosses and has shot in 16 Sovereign’s Finals. In 2023, he won the Silver Medal, winning the second stage of the H.M. King’s Prize, after a tie shoot. When not shooting, he currently helps the NHS to achieve their IT Goals, to assist in patient care.
Living in an Old Rectory, with wife Jules, gives him the opportunity to hone his carpentry and DIY skills. He has three children and four grandchildren…who keeps him young, but tired.
Tour Information
Captain’s Foreword
